By Rosie Moore

Did you ever stop and count your blessings? Name them one by one? In the dictionary the word blessing is defined as enjoying happiness, bringing pleasure and confer prosperity and well-being. That covers a lot of ground. It’s also a short prayer before a meal or the act of one who blesses.

There are countless blessings surrounding us in our daily living. To be blessed with good health, to be surrounded by God’s beautiful nature, friends are a bonus blessing, family is an every-day blessing. A roof over our heads, food on our tables each meal–what a blessing these are.

Then there are people who say, I am not blessed. No home, not enough food, no job, I am ill– but they have forgotten our blessings in disguise performed by angels in our communities. People who continuously help those who need it. Food banks, home builders, homeless shelters, used clothing stores, doctors and nurses–each in their own way are our blessings.

Come, Thou fount of every blessing,

tune my heart to sing Thy grace;

Streams of mercy never ceasing,

Call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet,

Sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount–I’m fixed upon it–

Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Written by Robert Robinson, an English minister and hymn writer. When he was a small boy his father passed away. With no father to guide him he fell in with a group of rowdy young men. One day they harassed a drunken gypsy who told Robert he would live to see his children and grandchildren. He thought, “if I live to see my children and grandchildren, I’ll have to change my way of living.” At the age of twenty, he made peace with God and became a Methodist minister.

So many blessings come our way that we’re unaware of at the time. As time goes by we realize that we’re truly blessed and it’s time to count our blessings!

Thought for the day: Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves. J.M. Barrie, creator of Peter Pan.

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